Best car GPS trackers 2024
Keeping tabs on your car can have many benefits. We reveal the best way to do it
You don’t need to be James Bond to want a tracking device in your car. Besides its obvious role in finding a stolen vehicle, a GPS transmitter will help you keep an eye on people driving your car, such as teenagers or airport valet parkers. It could also help you remember where you’ve parked or keep track of your journeys so you can claim back the miles on business expenses claims.
While car insurance-approved trackers need professional fitting, simpler DIY devices will send GPS location data to a smartphone app. We’ve tried a selection here from across the price spectrum. All but the Apple AirTag use mobile data networks to send information to your smartphone or desktop computer. This means they will require an ongoing subscription, but there are often discounts for paying up front for months or even years.
Which device should you track down?
How we tested them
We chose trackers that use a variety of installation methods and connection types. These include devices that quickly plug into the car’s OBD port to take power, and others that can be powered by a simple connection to the car’s battery. They were fitted as per the instructions and driven to various locations, including areas with patchy mobile network coverage.
To decide the winner, points were awarded for the value of the device and any subscription, accuracy of tracking, speed and ease of use.
Reviews:
TruTrak FMT200
- Price: Around £20
- Cost per month: £4.72-£5.99
- Connection: 4G
- Rating: 5 stars
- Website: trutrak.co.uk
The FMT200 went on sale the week before our test, so it really is the latest technology. As a result, it is smaller, cheaper and more advanced than any DIY tracker we’ve tried before. It’s about the same size as a packet of chewing gum, measuring just 75mm long, and it’s designed to be connected straight to the battery or in the fuse box.
The small size means it’s easy to find a space where it can be positioned discreetly using a sticky pad. Once connected, it sends data via the fast 4G network and the tracking can be viewed clearly on TruTrak’s useful app.
TruTrak FMB020
- Price: Around £34
- Cost per month: £4.72-£5.99
- Connection: 3G
- Rating: 4 stars
- Website: trutrak.co.uk
If you want a tracking device that’s easy to fit and can be quickly swapped from car to car, then installing the FMB020 takes no longer than plugging in your phone. The unit slots into the OBD port, giving the device permanent power. The compact size means it should fit in cars where space is short around the socket too, because it protrudes just 17mm.
Unlike the FMT200, it is limited to the 3G network, but this didn’t seem to make too much of a difference to its tracking. We baulked a little at the extra purchase cost, though.
Rewire GEOTrack
- Price: Around £20
- Cost per month: £5-£7.99
- Connection: 3G
- Rating: 4 stars
- Website: rewiresecurity.co.uk
Like the TruTraks, Rewire’s GEOTrack is surprisingly small, with the unit itself around the same size as a Zippo-style lighter. Fitting involves two wires, which link straight to your battery terminals or fuses. Once up and running, the app is full of features, including graphs and charts. This is ideal for business users, but excessive for most private drivers.
The tracking performance is fine too, despite being limited to a 3G network. It does nothing better than the 4G-enabled FMT200, though, and the subscription costs are higher.
Nextbase iQ
- Price: Around £350
- Cost per month: £5.82-£9.99
- Rating: 4 stars
- Website: nextbase.co.uk
Why is a dash cam included in a test of trackers? Because Nextbase’s iQ is connected via a mobile data network, allowing you to see the view inside and outside the car on a smartphone app. The location is also shown on a map, plus you can even set speed and location limitations, and get an alert if your car breaks them.
While the tracker part works well and even includes What3Words data, it doesn’t allow you to see historical journeys. We can’t ignore the price, either – the cheapest iQ costs a hefty £349. But it’s worth considering if you want both a dash cam and a tracker.
Amacam AM-T22
- Price: Around £40
- Cost per month: SIM free
- Connection: 3G
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Website: amacam.net
It’s a sign of how fast things move in this market that our previous Best Buy has fallen off the podium, despite a price cut. We still love the AM-T22’s simplicity, because it plugs into the car’s OBD data port and is small enough to fit in cars with little space around the socket. Plus, unlike its rivals, you don’t need to subscribe to any data plan, because the Amacam takes any network’s SIM card.
The age shows more in the app, which is provided by a third party rather than Amacam itself, and isn’t as slick as the winners here. The 3G data means it is fractionally slower than those connected to 4G, too.
Apple AirTag
- Price: Around £35
- Cost per month: Free
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Website: apple.com
If you want a cheap and simple way to locate your car, then Apple’s clever AirTag is unbeatable. Unlike its rivals here, it doesn’t use a mobile phone for location data, instead relying on the huge network of Apple users. When any of them are close to the Tag, they anonymously relay its position back to the registered owner. It’s tiny too, only a little fatter than a £2 coin, so it’s easy to fit in a car.
For Apple users, it works brilliantly in areas where there are lots of people, and it would be an excellent back-up to another tracker, but it lacks the continual reporting and journey data many owners will want.
DefenderDefender
- Price: Around £205
- Cost per month: £8.45-£9.09
- Connection: 4G
- Ratings: 3 stars
- Website: defenderdefender.co.uk
As the name suggests, this tracker is aimed at Land Rover drivers, but it will work perfectly well with any type of vehicle, and its special features would seem particularly suited to vulnerable vans. In addition to the 4G tracker, the DefenderDefender has sensors that detect vibrations, ignition or battery disconnection, and will send an alert to your phone.
You are even able to turn off the engine from the app. The downside of this is that it’s comparatively big and complicated to fit, with more wires than any of the rivals here. It’s expensive to buy and subscribe, too.
Verdict:
As with most technology, the type of tracker you choose will depend on the features you need and how much you are willing to pay. The Nextbase iQ, for example, gives you live views as well as location data, and the DefenderDefender offers extra theft protection.
But it’s the TruTrak FMT200 that we think provides the best combination of value and usability for drivers who want to track their car and trace previous journeys. TruTrak’s OBD-powered FMB020 finishes in second position, and the Rewire GEOTrack takes third.
- TruTrak FMT200
- TruTrak FMB020
- Rewire GEOTrack
A GPS tracking device will show you where your car is, but for added security check out our list of the best steering wheel locks...
